Madiba Youth Organisation were crowned World champions
By Stewards Reporter,
Madiba Youth Organisation through women squad claimed a thrilling 2-1 victory over Blue Birds Ladies Team, host team Alexandra in the final of the 2018 Global Goals Women’s World Cup Championship as Promise Khoza proved the hero with both goals over the weekend.
Madiba Youth Organisation were crowned champions of the 2018 Global Goals Women’s World Cup Championship for the first time after defeating Bluebirds Ladies from Alexandra, Gauteng on Saturday at Football For Hope Centre in Gauteng.
Madiba Youth Organisation crowned the Global Goals World Cup (GGWC) Madiba Youth Organisation were crowned champions of the 2018 Global Goals Women’s World Cup Championship for the first time after defeating Bluebirds Ladies from Alexandra, Gauteng on Saturday at Football For Hope Centre in Gauteng.
Promise bagged a goal in each game, winning the title. It is a fourth win in four group tournaments for the team and an excellent warm-up before they left and early in the morning at Gauteng.
The Global Goals World Cup is the initiative of Danish Non Profit sports organisation Eir Soccer. It is a global women’s amateur football championship for the UN SDG’s (Global Goals). Eir soccer works locally with strong partners across different sectors to combine global scale with strong local impact.
The Djuma Private Game Reserves-sponsored Madiba Youth Organisation started the game very well and could have scored a couple of goals before the sixth minutes, with Phemfemulo Rennika Khoza powerful shot being saved by the Bluebirds Ladies goalkeeper, and failing to convert on two occasions.
Madiba Youth Organisation started on the front foot and might have had two goals early on, but forward Phemfemulo Rennika Khoza was unable to convert.
Each team rallied around one of the SDGs, 17 goals that address critical issues including poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality and climate change. The winning team, Madiba Youth Organisation from Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga Province championed SDG5, gender equality.
She first missed with a header and then shot tamely into the arms of Bluebirds Ladies goalkeeper as both opportunities went begging.
Bluebirds Ladies had chances of their own though, and on one break found through on goal from a tight angle and she shot wildly over the bar.
The Madiba Youth Organisation took the lead in emphatic fashion just before 4th minutes though as the ball fell to Promise 10-yards from goal and her shot penetrated into the bottom corner of the net, leaving Bluebirds Goalkeeper with no chance.
Madiba Youth Organisation led 1-0 at the break, but were almost made to pay for some hesitant defending 5th minutes into the second period when fullback Reality Ntimane lost possession in the box, but with two bites of the Bluebirds Ladies midfielder could only shoot straight at away goalkeeper.
Madiba Youth Organisation was then forced into an excellent save from Bluebirds Ladies header from a free-kick, acrobatically beating the ball over her bar.
Bluebirds Ladies did find their equaliser on 5th minutes though as Bluebirds Ladies striker showed some neat footwork in the box before placing the ball into the corner of Madiba Youth Organisation’s net.
Madiba Youth Organisation captain Phemfemulo Rennika Khoza forced a save from Bluebirds Ladies with a free-kick from 18-yards, the keeper needing two attempts to make the stop.
Promise Khoza had an excellent chance to score the winner from eight yards, but her shot was beaten away by Bluebirds Ladies Keeper.
“We all did it, I am overwhelmed. I knew we stood a good chance of winning this award but when it actually happened all I could say to myself was ‘wow’, and it just brought tears to my eyes. I’m really lost for words this time,” said an emotional Lovemore Amor Khosa, the interim Madiba Youth Organisation head coach.
“But this is an incredible achievement for Women’s football in Bushbuckridge and a big thank you must go to our sponsor Djuma Private Game Reserves for the continued support and for giving us the opportunity to compete internationally.
But Madiba Youth Organisation did grab the victory right at the death as again Promise Khoza showed excellent pace to outsprint the Bluebirds Ladies defence and then provided a composed left-footed finish low past a stranded Bluebirds Ladies Goalkeeper.
South Africa has scored 7 goals in the tournament and conceded just two – against The Love Ones (group stages) and Bluebirds Ladies (final).
Madiba Youth Organisation had three goal scorers – Promise Khoza, scored three, Phemfemulo Rennika Khoza three, and Pinky Khoza one.
Only Promise Khoza and Phemfemulo Rennika Khoza played every minute of the whole tournament.
The Founder and Managing Director of Madiba Youth Organisation, Mr Adam Sibuyi said “Sports, and team sports like football bring people together in a fun way , the Global Girls World Cup takes this an important step forward by empowering and mobilizing girls and women to fight for their rights as well as for sustainable development.”
“I’ve brought along my girls this year so they can see all these remarkable women; scientists, activists, chief executives and policy-makers, all playing soccer .Sports unite people around the world, and can unite people to achieve the SDGs as well,” added Sibuyi.
In Group 4
Madiba Youth Organisation ( 3) Vs. Hlulani Amazing Club ( 0 ) ,Limpopo Province
Madiba Youth Organisation (1) Vs. The Loved Ones ( 0 ) , Gauteng
Bluebirds Ladies ( 1 ) Gauteng Vs. Madiba Youth Organisation ( 2)
